Stick a Fork in Me, I'm Done
by Neecakes
Summary: Finally getting fed up with all the sharp, critical remarks she receives for her cooking ability or lack thereof, Kaoru decided to take classes in secret. It all seemed fruitless, but a certain red-headed chef instructor keeps her coming back. A/U
1. Chapter 1

I do not claim any right to Rurouni Kenshin. Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

She found herself staring at his hands again.

His hands spoke humbly of infallible strength; every slender finger whispered the recognition of the ability to kill. She can only visualize in her mind the flick of his wrist, bringing the sharp steel to its descent upon its prey, was swift enough to be missed during a careless blink of the eye. However, he intended and willed her to observe his every movement carefully, going about the whole procedure in a deliberate speed than he normally would.

_Of course he is, he expects me to do the same deed._

"Ready?"

His voice was low and gentle, enticing her to relax, even as he was about to take a life. She licked her lips in a nervous gesture and nodded mutely, shifting her eyes from his hands to the victim in plight. Beady, black eyes stared back into her own. At that moment, she wanted to do nothing more than to scream on the top of her lungs for him to stop, but the sound never escaped through her throat. Within a second, the keen edge of silver met solid wood and the poultry sitting on top of the kitchen countertop never perceived its chances. The languid body of the bird rested on top of the wooden board as her instructor proceeded to discard the head. What surprised her most, besides the uneasiness of how calm she felt, was the lack of blood. The cutting board was only tickled with a few pink spots and fluffs of feather. She had always thought this to be a grimy ordeal, but his cut had been so clean.

A cluck from the chicken standing meekly before her halted her train of thought, and now held her full attention.

"It's your turn, Kaoru."

* * *

Kamiya Kaoru would never be the first to step up and admit to be a horrible cook. Not the best, quite possibly, but she was certain she could not be the worst. But after growing tremendously aggravated of hearing the constant ungrateful bickering from the little rascal of a brother she had, and how every guest she received would make up a blatant excuse to leave at the mention of her cooking, Kaoru decided she would attempt to do something about it.

She glanced up from her paperwork to the clock hanging on the white wall. It was earlier than usual, and her workload was dwindling. She will finish the rest at home.

_Fine. Today then. Might as well._

"Thank you for your hard work, Kamiya-sensei. See you tomorrow."

"You too, Ishikawa-sensei. See you."

After bidding her co-worker goodbye, Kaoru turned to face the opposite direction and exited the school building. Having sat for hours on end, imprisoned in her tiny cubicle, walking brought immense pleasure to relieve the ache in her back. Despite the late hour, the temperature in the air was warmer than usual as the summer months were drawing closer. Soon, her students will go on their break and she will be working from home again. Kaoru loosened the collar of her blouse a little, letting the cool evening breeze wash through her senses. It was a routine walk from work to home, but on this particular night, her feet stopped when she neared the small, bricked building of her interest. Kaoru glanced at the modest sign placed beside the entrance that lettered 'Akabeko Cuilinary Academy' to assure herself that she was at the correct place.

_This is it._

Making her presence known upon entering through the entrance, Kaoru greeted the receptionist sitting behind the curved desk with a smile.

"Konbanwa, sorry to intrude," Kaoru started, quickly reading the bronze name plaque on the desk, "Sekihara-san. I was wondering if you could assist me with a few questions."

Sakihara Tae had to be around her age, Kaoru noted. This was the first time she saw the young receptionist up close. There have been several times where the two of them have encountered each other before, due to the close proximity of their workplaces, but the both of them never exchanged anything more than polite greetings. Tae wore a sweet smile on her face that reaches up towards the ends of her soft eyes, and her slim face was framed by the brown tresses that fell from her ponytail.

"You're not intruding at all!" Tae exclaimed all the while getting up from her seat, "How am I able to help you, ano-"

"Ah! I apologize for my abruptness. My name is Kamiya Kaoru."

"No need to be so formal, Kamiya-san! I would be glad to help. You can just call me Tae."

"Please, call me Kaoru."

Kaoru extended her own hand to shake Tae's inviting one. Looking around the lobby for the first time since she arrived, she studied the glass doors to her right and noticed that it leads to a large room that houses multiple kitchen stations. Feeling slightly abashed now that she was here, Kaoru could only muster a small smile at the kind woman before continuing.

"I'm hoping to improve my-" Kaoru paused to contemplate on how to state this without damaging her own pride, "-skills in the kitchen, although it's not much to begin with. Is there an opening spot for a potential student like me for the summer term?"

Leafing through the papers in a manila folder, Tae drew her eyebrows together with a frown and regretfully answered, "I'm so sorry, Kaoru-san, but it seems our classes have been fully registered until early September. Would you like to enroll for the term in fall?"

"Sorry, that wouldn't work out very well for me. I teach at the junior school in the area and I was hoping I could use the time during the break."

_Good. Perhaps I can forget and avoid all this nonsense on taking up cooking classes after all. There's nothing wrong with my kitchen creations! Yahiko only fusses because he is set out to make my life miserable on purpose. How did I ever let him bother me so much in the first place? I'm going to have to knock him a new one when I get home._

Oblivious to Kaoru's thoughts, Tae started to look greatly distressed before leafing through more papers. Kaoru began to feel very guilty for having put the young woman on the spot.

"Don't worry, Tae-san. It's not important at all. Thank you so much for all your time and effort. You're very sweet."

"No, Kaoru-san! Let me find something for you. It's here somewhere!"

Kaoru could not refuse Tae, she was so dear. Not to mention, Kaoru was exceedingly curious to know what the receptionist could frantically be digging through her desk for. A minute later, Tae's entire face lit up with excitement as she pulled out a paper from a drawer and placed it on the desk for Kaoru to read. There was a name scrawled at the top of the page.

_Himura Kenshin?_

"This is it, Kaoru-san! I recall that this man teaches private classes in his home as a part-time job. He's a very close acquaintance to the instructor here at Akabeko. If you would like, I can arrange you an appointment with Himura-san."

* * *

A/N: I originally wanted to write this as an one-shot to leave it short and sweet, but I guess that won't be happening. I apologize for any mistakes and errors made in my writing. It did not go through beta as I was a little embarrassed to show anyone my first piece. I hope any readers that stumble upon this would be forgiving and kind enough to give me some constructive feedback. If anyone would be willing to beta and revise my chapters, I would appreciate it greatly! Arigato.


	2. Chapter 2

Rounding the corner of the well-lit hallway to her apartment unit, disbelief was still written clear on her face. Kaoru never knew her resolve was that of jell-o consistency when handled and manipulated in a sweet woman's persistent persuasion. Well, a certain sweet woman. Tae was unbelievably determined to get Kaoru acquainted with Himura Kenshin, whether for Kaoru's cooking potential's sake or for Tae's own devious intentions, Kaoru was not sure anymore. There was definitely a gleam in Tae's eyes that could be considered misplaced.

Himura Kenshin: her new private chef instructor.

Kaoru knew nothing of the man, only that he holds private cooking lessons in his own home for an affordable price. Apparently, many of the housewives in the neighborhood often seek him out for advice and day lessons. He has built himself a formidable reputation as a cook and as well as being 'quite the catch' simply by the word of mouth. The housewives talk, and in this small neighborhood, you can go far just by being on the better perspective of a new gossip.

"Tadaima."

"Okaeri, busu."

Kaoru could feel blood pulsing through the veins of her temple at the insult. Tossing the house keys to the side onto a cabinet, she took off her heels to sooth the relentless ache on her mid sole. She could hear Yahiko's soft stride as he neared the entranceway to greet her. Remembering that he was the catalyst for the whole predicament she was in, her chagrin re-sparked, but found herself too worn to channel her frustrations at her younger brother.

"Why are you home so late anyway?" Yahiko questioned from the door frame. He was not tall for his age, but his voice had a deep projection. His hair resembled a bird's nest as usual, and the mud stains on his shorts attests the fact that he had been playing soccer earlier today.

"I had papers to mark," Kaoru knitted her brows together, "and what did I say about leaving mud streaks on the sofa? If I see any, I swear I'm gon-"

"Can I see my paper?"

"Did you even have to ask? No!"

Targeting the plaster on his left cheek, she ripped it off his skin in one swift motion.

"Itai! What was that for you hag?!"

Yahiko bolted behind the door frame, pulled on his lower eyelid with a digit and protruded his tongue, before retreating back into his room. Kaoru sighed. She glanced over to the cabinet where the house keys lay discarded. Next to her keys was an old picture frame showcasing an even older photo of a couple. The man had his arm around the woman's shoulders, and both were smiling at Kaoru. She smiled back.

_Tadaima, Okaasan, Otousan._

* * *

Summer has arrived officially for some. The shrill sound of the bell filled every ear and the entire school shook under the thunderous cheers and whistles. Kaoru beamed as each of her students bowed politely and wished her a happy summer before filing out the classroom. She had good kids, and she will miss them dearly. Spotting Yahiko still lingering in the back of the room, Kaoru called out to him.

"Yahiko-chan!"

Her voice was drenched in exaggerated sweetness. Annoyed at the suffix, Yahiko glared up from his desk.

"K-Kamiya-sensei."

He gritted his teeth. It was forbidden to call her anything else on school premise. The wide grin on her face was evident that she was taking pleasure in peeving him.

"I'll be heading home first. I expect you to be back before nine tonight."

Kaoru cleaned out her desk, gave the classroom one last sweep with a glance, and headed out.

The weather was beautiful. The sun dominated the blue sky magnificently without a speck of white in sight. Kaoru took a moment to bask in its warm rays once exiting through the school gates. It is a wonder how the weather can affect a person's mood so deeply. There was a light skip to Kaoru's every step as she walked down the familiar road. Soon, she came to a halt outside of a small, bricked building.

"Tae!"

Kaoru waved at the woman inside. It had become customary for the young teacher to call out to her friend whenever she passes by on her way to and from work, ever since after the first night she stepped afoot inside the academy a month ago. Kaoru and Tae befriended each other instantly; the two women can always be seen together, buoyantly conversing and laughing. Watching Tae through the glass, Kaoru sees her dear friend point at the ringing phone receiver and mouth the syllables: go-men-Kao-ru-chan. Kaoru shook her head to deny the apology, and gestured back through the window that she was going to continue on her way home.

Shadowing over her apartment door, Kaoru fished for her house keys from her bag prior to hearing a beep from within. It was the answering machine. Not able to find her keys fast enough, she pressed her ear against the door to try and recognize the voice of her caller. To her surprise, it was deep, and there was no face in mind she can pin the voice to. Fed up, the woman scrambled with her bag and almost emptied half its contents before finally being awarded with the ring of jagged metals in her hand.

Beep. The voice message just ended as she swung her door open.

"Tadaima." she directed at the photo on the cabinet.

Her feet were more than appeased when she took off the confining heels and switched to a more comfortable pair of indoor slippers. Making her way across the living room where the phone was, she pressed the play button on the answering machine. One recent message.

"Moshi-moshi? Oro? Oh! Hi, this is Kenshin. Himura Kenshin. I'm hoping this is the Kamiya residence," Almost stated as a question, the man on the machine paused for a short moment, and went on, "I've been told that I should contact this number to arrange a schedule together for cooking lessons. Could you call me back? Thanks."

There was a rustling sound, and then the message ended. Realization was upon her like a bucket of cold water dropped from above. Kaoru panicked. For the past few weeks, she had gradually forgotten about her arrangement with Himura Kenshin and her cooking lessons. She will have to delete the message before Yahiko or anyone else finds it by chance. If they knew she was attempting to better her cooking, they will be doubling over with laughter like no tomorrow.

The phone rang. Kaoru almost shrieked.

"M-moshi-moshi? Kamiya residence."

"Ah? Moshi-moshi? Is this the machine?"

Kaoru gulped. It was him again.

"No. This is Kamiya Kaoru speaking."

"Oh! Sorry! Ano, I'm a little technical illiterate, I didn't mean to offend."

She held in a giggle. _I wonder how old Himura-san is._ Kaoru had always pictured him to be a middle-aged man, perhaps slightly balding, and sporting one of those funny mustaches like the French cooks from the movies do. On the contrary of her vivid imagery, he sounded very youthful. His voice was deep but serene. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Kaoru reminded herself that the topic of interest was still on the other line.

"No, not at all. Is this Himura-san?"

"Yes. I was calling back because I forgot to leave my number in the message earlier, but I guess this is better now that I'm speaking with you."

"Great timing! I just arrived home, but I received your message. What days of the week are most convenient for you?"

"To be honest, holding cooking sessions is the only source of income for me at the moment. I'm free anytime."

"Ano, then how about starting out with two days a week. Afternoons of Tuesday's and Thursday's?"

Tuesday's and Thursday's are when Yahiko have club activities. If she schedule to leave the apartment during the days when he is already out, she can avoid any suspicions he may have. Two days of the week for lessons should be more than sufficient. _It's not as if I plan to steal first place in the annual cooking contest, although, that would be a definite plus._

"That sounds great, Kaoru-dono. Starting next week?"

"Next week is good."

"Let me give you my address."

Kaoru hastily grabbed a pad of post-it and pen from the desk behind her. After scribbling down the information he provided, she studied the address closely to discover that he lived only five blocks away from her apartment building. _Damn, this is a small neighborhood. Maybe I've even seen him around before._ The voice in her ear interrupted her speculation.

"Thank you, Kaoru-dono. I look forward to seeing you."

"Ah, yes! Me too. See you next Tuesday, Himura-san."

Click.

* * *

A/N: I have always depicted Kenshin in modern times to be someone extremely polite and traditional. When he finally does open himself up to a person, he comes off being more casual and at ease. Chapter two was surprisingly easy to write. I hope it continues like this. Thank you to everyone for the wonderful reviews. They've made me really giddy. Chapter three is coming up soon, please stay with me!


	3. Chapter 3

_Maybe I should give Himura-san a call, just to make sure that his property is properly insured. I mean, you can never be too safe, right?_

Kaoru drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly in an attempt to pace her thoughts. At the same moment, she mentally punched herself for almost letting her composure cave in and admitting to be a walking catastrophe in a kitchen. _I'm just worrying too much._ Her face grimaced however, when she recalled a few unfortunate mishaps in her own kitchen. Yahiko never dared mention the craving for tempura again after Kaoru tried to put out a grease fire with water.

Today was the long awaited Tuesday in which she was going to meet her newly appointed cooking instructor for the first time. Yahiko had left early in the morning for soccer practice, and therefore, she will be able to leave the apartment without going through an interrogation. Although tedious in nature, it was the boy's own way of showing affection for his elder sister.

_Sometimes, he acts more like our father than I do._

* * *

The sun has been generous lately; its abundant radiance seeking out every crack and crook. The sound of cicadas droned through the air, confirming the presence of summer. Watching the intense heat waver over the pavement of the road, Himura Kenshin lifted his hand to wipe at the beads that had lightly formed on the skin bordering his hairline. The market teemed with clamorous noises, voices competing against each other, and eager patrons swarmed from one stall to the next. He will have to maneuver through the sea of people if he wishes to be home on time for his expected visitor. Almost like a circus act, Kenshin juggled with the four loaded grocery bags in his arms, shifting and pivoting swiftly to avoid bumping into bodies of the crowd as he made his way for the direction back home.

Nearing the end of the busy street, a shrill scream pricked at his keen ears as the discordant sound brought a dead silence among the marketplace and halted its congress.

_Oro?_

Lowering the obstructive bags to gain a better perspective of his surroundings, Kenshin searched for the causation of the unpleasant auditory experience. In the middle of the street, spectators had begun to circle, disclosing the origin of the agonized cry. He peered over the heads of onlookers, having to tip-toe due to his disadvantageous height. In the midst of the circle stood a middle-aged woman, amply wide in size, who lifted an accusing finger toward what held her attention.

"Someone, please! Stop that thief!"

A running figure forced his way through the crowd from the source of the uproar. Cloaked in a black outfit, gloved hands holding onto a purse, the man made a leap over a wooden crate and fled behind the retail stands in a desperate effort to escape the scene. Easily able to deduce the play of events unfolding before his eyes, Kenshin predicted the purse-snatcher's next available action and made his way behind the nearest stall. Treading lightly along a narrow path, he stopped before a corner and awaited for the sound of footsteps. It was faint, but the sound of scurried movements could be heard.

_He's still running._

Kenshin settled the groceries onto the damp floor. The spacing between the walls was inefficient and dark, the sun not able to shed its light on the connecting series of pathways. He steadied himself and pressed his back against the wall of wooden crates. The heavy footfall and labored breaths gradually intensified as his target drew closer. _He'll turn the corner—here._ Just as Kenshin's thought expelled, the man turned onto the sharp corner, immediately overtaken by surprise as a hard tackle aimed at his torso rendered him sprawled onto the ground and broken-winded.

_Oro?_

Kenshin blinked, unmoved from his position. What had caused the man to fall was not Kenshin's own outstretched elbow, prepared for impact, but the bodily weight of another figure who now laid face down on top of the man. The feminine curves defined the new stranger to be a young woman, her raven-black hair gathered into a high ponytail, the long length caressing her stretched back.

"Where did you think you could run to?"

Her tone, lethally assertive, demanded an answer from the thief who lay fixed underneath her. His reply came out in an unintelligent garble, still trying to restore the air in his lungs due to the force she had inflicted upon him. Gauging the damage she did, he suffered no serious trauma from the fall, but would certainly feel the bruises in the next few days. Lifting herself up onto her knees, the woman glanced up to where Kenshin stood for the first time, meeting his gaze.

"Sorry, I saw you heading back here, but I couldn't alert you in case he heard me."

Instead of pondering on the bewildering thought of how his usually-astute senses had fail to detect the stranger, Kenshin found himself lost for all contemplation completely during the brief moment as he acknowledged her appearance. Engrossed by the delicate features that painted her slender face, his normal demeanor was left abandoned until his wandering stare drifted to a pair of cerulean irises. He read her surprised expression through them, seemingly as transfixed with him as he is with her.

"Are you okay?" He cleared his throat, recovering from his metal stupor. Able to process his thoughts coherently again, he recollected his manners and trained his eyes on anywhere else but her, "I hope you're not hurt. You're quite reckless, aren't you?"

The young woman laughed in response—melodious and soft—a stark contrast to her earlier tone. The sound was contagious as Kenshin felt the corners of his mouth contorting into a smile of his own. He thought of it being familiar, although he could not pinpoint from where in particular.

"I get that a lot," she grinned as she concentrated once more on the stretched person pinned under her, assured that he would not be getting up any time soon, "I act on impulse too often at times. It's gotten me into more messes than I can even count."

Kenshin could gain a clear mental understanding in her words. This situation had played out in her favor, but strong-headedness could only be paired with trouble in any other case. If the man had been armed, she could have gotten herself wounded, or worse, killed. He shook his head in stern disapproval.

"I strongly advise against doing what you did if you ever find yourself in familiar terms again, it's dangerous for a young woman like yourself."

"I hope you're not suggesting that women are incompetent," her blue eyes turned icy as she faced him with a frown, any trace of amusement had vanished, "I witnessed this man snatching the purse right out of the poor woman's hands. I couldn't just pretend to look the other way."

Slightly taken back, Kenshin did not expect her to react defensively. Seeing how displeased she was, he regretted at how cutting his words may have articulated. He was not one to lecture; he was prepared to mirror her earlier actions after all. By no means did he mean for his words to foster discrimination against her gender either.

"I'm sorry, please don't take offense in what I said. I'm only glad you're unharmed."

As he appealed further for her forgiveness, the woman shook her head fiercely to dismiss the apology. He could tell that her better judgment was putting a restraint to her fiery temper within an internal tumult. His brows softened as he offered a hand out towards her.

"Here, let me help you up."

She accepted his offer and stood to level herself just short a few inches to his height, whispering her thanks. At that convenient moment, sirens blared as flashing blue and red tinted the walls, announcing the arrival of the police. Officers scrambled on sight and were directed by gathered bystanders to where they both stood. The uniformed squad quickly seized the man on the ground, cuffing his wrists in cold metal before shouldering him towards the direction of a vehicle. An older officer remained with Kenshin and the young woman, eyeing the both of them suspiciously, before beginning to hail a list of questions their way.

"What happened here? Mind telling me why that man was nearly unconscious?" the officer took a moment to survey the narrow, hindering pathways. His voice became wary, "What could you two possibly be doing back here?"

The woman turned deep scarlet at the blatant assumption. Kenshin in turn, scratched his head in disorientation, before narrating the entire transpiration leading up to their current circumstances. Retrieving the discarded purse from the ground, he produced a detailed description of the rightful owner. The officer seemingly relaxed, fully grasping the situation from the information provided, and recovered the stolen bag from Kenshin.

"Well, your explanation sure does seem sound. Thank you both, but I will have to get you two to stay a while for our team to write up a formal statement."

"I'm sorry, but I really have to be somewhere!" the woman protested.

She swore under her breath as her earlier engagement made light of where she currently should be. Her frantic display of frustration immediately made Kenshin do a double-take, reminding him of his own appointment. A considerable amount of time has passed since the hour arranged for his guest to arrive at his home. Looking at the relentless numbers portrayed on his watch, he could only hope his guest had given up on waiting. The least he could do is to rush home and rearrange their schedule for a later time.

"My sincerest apologies officer, but I'm expected as well." Kenshin concurred and watched forlornly as the officer waved his hands in rejection.

"I'm afraid I can't let either of you go, this is required. I can help you make any necessary calls, what are your names?"

"Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru."

"Himura Kenshin."

Recognition dawned on the two as they both recoiled in a surprised reaction conjointly, staring at each other in disbelief.

* * *

A/N: Took me long enough. I apologize if anyone was actually waiting for an update, projects and finals are finally over, and so I was able to get some writing done. I had a few problems along the way though, unsure of how I wanted the two to meet, but this was the best that I could muster up. Again, please review! Be brutal about it too!


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